The objective of the research is to provide a direct, viable economical synthesis of the potent antitumor and antileukemic glycoside adriamycin. The production of adriamycin by fermentation in quantities sufficient for testing has proven infeasible. The several synthetic approaches outlined were designed with economy in mind, each employing a highly parallel synthetic scheme. They also are versatile enough to allow the synthesis of various analogs. The intermediates may also prove interesting pharmacologically, hence arrangements have been made for screening the intermediates as they become available. The preferred route entails a Diels-Alder reaction to construct the tetracyclic anthracyclinone in a single stage with regiochemical control. Modification of the A ring should then provide adriamycinone/daunomycinone in a 10-12 step sequence.